Ring of Fire: Canadians in the Pacific in WW2

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Friday, October 31st, 2014
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

A new feature exhibit opens at the Nanaimo Museum in September.  Ring of Fire tells the stories of Canada’s troops in the Pacific during WWII.  The exhibit is on loan from the Military Museums in Calgary and runs from September 12-November 15.

Ring of Fire:  Canadians in the Pacific in the Second World War was created to raise awareness of Canada’s participation in the Pacific theatre and the casualties suffered in Hong Kong.  “The Pacific campaign is sometimes called the ‘Forgotten War’,” says Aimee Greenaway, Interpretation Curator at the Nanaimo Museum.  “This exhibit allows us to highlight the contributions of local people to this campaign and share stories from across the country.”  The exhibit will include the story of George McCabe, a local veteran who served in the Aleutian Islands and was well-known in Nanaimo as a chef at the Malaspina Hotel and Grotto restaurants.  McCabe passed away earlier this year.

The exhibit includes artifacts from private collectors and military museums across Canada, including rare colour photographs, medal groups, personal artifacts and art by prisoners of war.  Paintings and drawings by Norman Takeuchi are also featured in Ring of Fire to share a personal perspective on the internment of Japanese Canadians.

There will be programs for home school families in October and November on the theme of World Wars.  The programs include hands-on activities for primary and intermediate students and are 60 minutes long.  Pre-registration is required and the cost is $5 per child.

For more information please contact the museum at (250) 753-1821 or visit www.nanaimomuseum.ca  The Nanaimo Museum is located on Commercial Street, beside Serious Coffee.  Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.